


A Tale of a Man and a Monster

by ASoldierInTheRevolutionAgainstMaxvid



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: I have way too much free time, M/M, dadvid, the hunchback of notre dame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-02-21 20:30:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13151472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASoldierInTheRevolutionAgainstMaxvid/pseuds/ASoldierInTheRevolutionAgainstMaxvid
Summary: It’s Paris, 1482. The city is under the control of a powerful religious cult; one that has no qualms in crushing any who oppose it. But, in the dark corners of Paris, a group has formed to oppose them. The Court of Miracles is a small organization created to regain control of the once great city, but when two members attempt to flee and their child is to be raised by the cult’s new leader, both partie’s plans are turned upside down.





	1. Chapter 1

The cold night air nipped at Daniel’s skin, freezing the boy to the bone. A thick blanket of snow covered the ground and made it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of him. To any sane individual, it would be odd to see a 14 year old boy atop a massive white steed in the dead of night, but the boy was worried about far more pressing matters. Before the next leader of the cult was assigned, they were to pass a test. For Daniel, his test was to capture two departing members of the Court of Miracles and attempt to bring them in for interrogation. 

The sound of crunching snow rang out in the quiet city, seeming eerily loud in the silence. Daniel’s head shot up, his ice blue eyes scanning the area a mile a minute. 

Suddenly, at the edge of his vision, he caught sight of two individuals. Both were dark skinned and clad in colorful attire, immediately distinguishing them from members of the cult. The woman was holding a bundle of blankets; a scornful expression clearly present on her face. 

Daniel quietly crept closer, hoping to go unseen. Luckily, the heavy snowfall worked as a cloak, making him and his white horse barely visible. When he was close enough, he was able to distinguish a few words exchanged from the traitors.

“Shut it up, will you?” The man hissed, motioning to the bundle of sheets in the woman’s arms.

“Look, I don’t like this thing anymore than you do, but we can’t get rid of it yet. If we dump it here, either those damn cultists will find it and use it to get a grasp on our location, or the Court will find it and realize the “leaving to have a safe environment for the child” thing was a ploy to get out of this hellhole of a city. Look, if we find a well on the way out, we’ll drown it, or dispose of the little shit once we get out of the city,” the woman growled, spite prevalent in her voice. 

“I don’t think you’ll be doing either of those things.”

Both the man and woman whipped around, color draining from their face only to find Daniel standing behind them, falchion in his hand and maniacal grin on his face. 

Immediately, they bolted, the woman throwing the bundle into a nearby snowdrift. Suddenly overcome by rage, he raced after them, giving chase on his horse. As the woman was slower, he pursued her, chasing her all the way to the grand cathedral at the center of the city. 

Once her legs gave way, she clutched her chest, sinking to the floor, utterly defeated. Her eyes darted about wildly. In a feeble attempt for her life, tried to scoot backwards, but only managed to trap herself between the great stone building and certain death. She resembled a caged animal, thinking about nothing more than survival as adrenaline coursed through her veins.

“You know, it really does piss me off when my prey tries to run,” Daniel scoffed, running his fingers through his pale blond hair, seeming to take joy from tormenting the poor woman. 

Grinning, he dismounted his horse, sword in hand. The tip of the blade drug against the ground, carving a gash in the snow. He aproached the woman slowly, the same devilish smirk on his face. She began to sob, the tears freezing before they even his the ground. Her rapid breathes could be seen clear as day in the winter air. He laughed, dragging the tip of the blade across her cheek, relishing in the droplets of crimson that leaked from the wound.

“Now, unfortunately, the cult is cutting my game of cat and mouse a tad short. Now, you’ll be coming with me and back up to the higher-ups. Then, you’ll spill the location of your little friends. Got it?” he said, leaning over her and putting his weight on the falchion like one would with a cane, helping him to appear larger and more intimidating despite being a scrawny 14 year old boy. 

The woman sneered, “I ain’t telling you shit, you pale bastard.” In a moment of defiance, she looked him dead in the eye before spitting on his shoe, as it was the most she could do in the current position. 

Enraged, Daniel connected his foot with her nose, slamming her head into the stone and relishing in the horrid cracking of her nose. She let out a blood-curdling scream, clutching her bleeding face. He raised his sword high above his head before slamming it into the top of her head, pushing it in to the hilt. The tip on the blade exited through her throat, causing blood to gush from both openings.

It wasn’t long before she stopped moving, since the falchion had pierced her brain. Grunting, Daniel pushed his foot into the corpse, attempting to remove his weapon from her head. When it finally was out, crimson liquid dripped off of it, further staining the darkened snow below them. 

“Wow, you are really terrible when it comes to following simple commands,” a voice scoffed from behind him.

“Really, what about that was difficult to understand? Get the traitors, bring them back, simple as that. But no, you let one escape and turn the other into a pincushion. Great job, Albertus Magnus, you absolute genius,” Jen taunted, rolling her ice blue eyes. 

“Look, they ran off in different directions. I chose to pursue her and then attempted to retrieve her, but she wasn’t exactly cooperating,” Daniel retaliated, desperately trying to justify himself.

“Daniel, I swear, if we got them, we would have been able to get the location of the Court of Miracles and wipe them out once and for all! Plus, I bet you won’t be promoted to leader of the cult after a fuck up of that caliber,” Jen hissed, acting almost like a scolding mother.

“Well, if you’re such a wonderful seer, why don’t YOU figure out where their hide out is instead of badgering me about it?” Daniel said, scowl prominent on his face.

“I only know what Xemuug tells me, and you know it! Sometimes you act like you wanted to be a seer, I swear. But, back to the subject at hand, I think I have a way to fix what you did,” Jen said, pulling him closer. 

“I didn’t know what this was about when I first had the vision, but I think I understand now,” she continued. 

From behind her back, she pulled out a bundle of blankets.

“Oh no, Jen, please tell me that isn’t...”

 

Jen pulled back the cloth, revealing a baby that looked shockingly like the woman. The same dark skin and curly black hair. The infant opened his eyes, revealing large, blue-green irises.

“I don’t know why, but Xemuug sent me a vision of him. If you take care of him, I think I can get you your position. Please just trust me on this, Daniel. For once in your damn life, please just trust me on this,” she pleaded, looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes. 

Daniel carefully took the bundle from her, cradling it close to his chest. 

“Fine, but this better work,” he hissed, trying to look intimidating.

“It will, trust me. Also, before I depart, do tell me, what are you going to name him?” Jen asked.

Daniel studied the child for a moment before responding,

“Max.”


	2. Chapter 2

(10 Years Later)

 

Jen had kept true to her word, and Daniel was appointed a the cult’s new leader. He, likewise, kept his end of the deal and raised Max by himself. For the boy’s own safety, he was to remain in the belfry of the cathedral, as he was likely to be killed by spiteful humans. The cult despised him for coming from the Court of Miracles, despite the fact that he was no more than an infant at the time, and Daniel had told him that the members of the Court of Miracles would kill him for his loyalty to the cult. The boy was raised on the words of the cult, growing up with the belief in thing like “purity” and “negative toxins.” This had made him into a mere shell of a human, only able to think what Daniel told him and not for himself; this is were we find him now.

Max sighed, resting his head in his hands and he gazed longingly down at the courtyard below. Every January, people would come from far and wide to participate in the Festival of Fools, one of the few things that remained from what the city used to be prior to the cult. The bright colors and cheerful music could be seen from miles away. People ran about, though they looked no bigger than ants from on top of the world. 

‘If only I could be down there instead of staying up here in this dark tower,’ Max thought solemnly. Each year the boy would take joy in viewing the event from high up in the cathedral. Notre-Dame is was beautiful, but it felt so small after being the only thing he had known for 10 years. 

“MAXWELL!” Daniel called, his voice echoing in through the stone corridors. Max sighed, rolling his eyes. 

“Coming!” Max shouted back, annoyance dripping into his tone. He stomped over to Daniel. The white-robbed figure was carrying a basket of food and a few books. 

“Maxwell, is that any way to speak to me? I’m 24 and am already going to have grey hairs if you keep up this behavior,” Daniel sighed, rubbing his temple. The strict life of the cult had not been kind to the man. His once bright eyes were dulled and his skin had a grey-ish tinge, as though the stress had aged him many years.

“Sorry, sir,” Max mumbled, though no genuineness was present in his voice. “Would you like me to set the table, sir?”

“Yes, please do so,” Daniel sighed, trying to be patient. Somehow, after 10 years in the cult and being a generally obedient member, the boy still had a certain aspect of rebelliousness to him. 

Max quickly removed the few things he had from the table, a hand-made teddy-bear and a few hand made wooden carvings, mostly of animals he had seen in books. He placed plates and goblets down before sitting, his attention back on Daniel. Daniel took some food from the basket; a loaf of bread, along with a book. He placed to food on the child’s plate and poured water into the goblet.

“Would you like to review?” Daniel asked, opening a worn book. 

“Yes, please, sir, I would like that very much,” Max replied, twiddling his thumbs. Daniel smiled softly, a rare occurrence. 

“Good, then let’s begin.”

“A?”

“Abomination,”

“B?”

“Blasphemy,”

“C?”

“Contrition,”

“D?”

“Damnation,”

“E?”

“Eternal Damnation!”

“F?”

“Festival..”

 

Daniel immediately spit out the water he was drinking, looking at the boy in shock.

“F-forgiveness!” Max corrected, sweat running down his face, an awkward smile stretched across his face. 

Daniel sighed, putting his head in his hands. “Max, were you thinking about going to the festival? You know what would happen if you went outside! I’m only trying to protect you, you do realize this, right?” Daniel asked, suddenly looking a lot older. 

“I’m sorry, sir, but every year I can only view it from the top of the cathedral. I want to be down there, please, it’s only one day!” Max pleaded. 

“Max, I don’t think you understand. The festival is a combination of all kinds of people, people who haven’t been purified by the cult. They will corrupt you, and I can’t have that happening,” Daniel explained, trying to get his point across. “Please, just stay here where it’s safe.” And with that, he picked up his things and exited, leaving Max alone once more. 

Max sighed, cradling himself. The two voices in his head were at war again. One begged for him to go, to live his life before he inevitably dies alone in the cold tower. The other tried reasoning that Daniel had never lead him astray before, hell, he was almost like a father to him. A battle of the head and the heart were only one could win. At last, Max decided. His ass was going to that festival even if it was like going to hell and back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is curious, I came up with a plan for this to not include Maxvid. Also, I wanted Max to initially act more like his purified self, and I wanted Daniel to be less of a dick in this. Also, I hope that somebody caught the not-so-subtle nod to the musical, and if you haven’t seen it, it’s beautiful, and you can find the entire thing on YouTube.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little view onto David’s life.

In the streets of Paris, a street player, age 24, was performing, along with two young children. The man was tall and thin, with flaming red hair and a face covered in a smattering of freckles. He was clad in a a white blouse, green shorts, and had a yellow scarf tied around his neck. One of the two children, this one male, had brown hair and blue eyes. He was tall and thin, and he wore tattered reddish-brown pants and a yellow shirt. The other child, this one female, had mint-green hair pulled back in pig-tails and bright pink eyes. She wore red overalls and a worn yellow shirt underneath. All were barefoot and clearly poor. The man was strumming a hand made guitar quietly with a hat placed in front of him for coins. The boy had an assortment of items he had likely found to sell, and the girl... well the girl was playing in the mud.

“David, I’m hungry, are we DONE yet?” The girl complained, speaking to the man. David rolled his eyes, chuckling softly, “Nikki, we’ve only been here for two hours,” David replied, continuing to play. 

“Nikki, have some patience. The festival will be in full swing soon, then we can get going,” the boy said, rubbing his hands together in nervousness, a trait he had developed after many years. 

“Neil’s right, Nikki, once the festival gets going, you can either have a free day or go home, but I wouldn’t waste today. People come from all over, and because we’re not the only ones not wearing white, you’ll be safe for today. We’ll be harder to distinguish. I say have fun, go live a little,” David added, smiling warmly. 

“Hey, what are y’all doing?” a voice boomed. The three whipped around to see two soldiers approaching, and they certainly were not in the best mood. 

“Oh, Hooey,” David whispered, cursing his luck. They were almost done, and they actually blended in pretty well! “Kids, run!” he yelled, and the two children had no qualms about bolting into the crowd. He snatched the hat with the money, panicking as the coins fell out, clattering to the ground. David rushed back to pick them up, but when he looked up, both armed soldiers were standing above him. 

“You really thought you could get away with stealing, rat?” The guard hissed, his rancid breath causing David to gag slightly. He stood up to his full height, a defiant look on his face. 

“I did not STEAL anything, I EARNED it,” he growled, genuinely offended at being accused. Suddenly, one of the guards let out high pitched shriek. They turned to see Nikki with her teeth sunk teeth into his leg, causing blood to pour from the wound.

“David, let’s go!” she yelled, releasing him and sprinting. David took his chance to escape and bolted, running while the guards were still trying to figure out what the hell happened.

Once they were a decent distance away, they stood still, panting as they tried to regain their breath. 

“Thanks, Nikki, you really saved me back there,” David said, placing a hand on her back. She smiled up at him, a prideful look on her face.

“Now, let’s get ready for that festival.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was short and mostly for introducing the characters. There will not be a person playing Phoebus in this, because I don’t feel the need for David to have a romantic interest as that was not the route I wanted to go with this and instead wanted a somewhat original idea were I could write some Dadvid.


	4. Chapter 4

Once this is done, I probably will never write again because I’m shit at it. Guess I can cross another thing off the list of things I might even be slightly decent at. I’m one of those people that are shit at just literally everything, so I guess this shall be the first and last thing I ever write. The only reason I’m finishing this is for myself because nobody else cares.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max goes into town

Max stared in awe at the colorful decorations, the crowds of people, the singing, the music, the food. It was all incredible through his eyes, but also somewhat overwhelming. After having had almost no human contact his entire life, suddenly being thrown into a massive throng of people was just a tad too much stimulation at once. He pulled the white cloak over his head just a bit further, determined to disguise his appearance. 

In a second he was on the ground. He looked up to see a red haired man standing above him. He reached out a hand to help him up, which Max gladly took.

“Sorry about that, kiddo. You ran right into me and fell over. You aren’t hurt, correct?” The man asked, seemingly genuinely concerned. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Max replied, rubbing his scraped knee slightly, wincing at the foreign feeling. 

The man sighed. “No you aren’t.” He pulled out a flask and cleaned the wound with the water inside. Max hissed slightly, the wound slightly stinging. The man then ripped part of the scarf off that he wore around his neck and tied it round Max’s injured knee. 

“T-thank you, sir,” Max stuttered, slightly shocked. 

The red head smiled. “Oh, please. No need to be formal, just call me David. Now, what’s yours?” he responded kindly.

“Max,” the black haired boy replied, shuffling from foot to foot, not used to speaking to anyone aside from Daniel.

“Well, Max, I hear they’re choosing someone to accompany the Pope of Fools this year, maybe you’d be interested? I’m pretty closely interwoven with the running of the Feast of Fools, so I bet I could give you a leg up on the competition.”

The boy pondered this for a second, tapping his foot lightly as he thought. “I suppose so,” he finally answered. His curiosity was outweighing his fear at the moment, so he decided to give it a shot. 

David offered him his hand easily guiding him through the crowded street up to a elevated platform.  
“Stay here, it will start soon,” David whispered, pointing to a section were a few other children stood, all chattering amongst themselves. One that stood out was a tall lanky boy with longer brown hair, a ruff, and puffed out fabric on the shoulders. When questioned, he simply would say that he was ahead of the 1480’s fashion. Yeah right, like things are ever going to change around here by the 1500’s. 

Suddenly, everyone’s gaze moved to the platform, of which three people stood, one of them being David.

“Now, now, gather round, we’re to have a show before everything get underway. Feel free to toss any coins you having lying about, I’m sure he’d appreciate it!” one of the men on stage yelled out, speaking to the entire crowd.

Then, David came forth, guitar in hand. He began to strum quietly, before quickly picking up the speed and upping the noise. Once he had a rhythm going, he began to dance to his own music. It was quick paced and upbeat, just like the music. Despite being surrounded by people, he appeared calm and collected, seeming to have merged with the music itself. The crowd was into it as well, cheering and tapping their feet to the beat. Even Daniel seemed mesmerized, but... he seemed a bit off. When he finally finished, the crowd erupted in applause, tossing coins and flowers to the street performer. He bowed before standing upright again, tired and sweating, but smiling all the same. 

“Now, let’s get our Pope of Fools!” It took a while, but eventually a woman with a large growth on her face won. Next, it was time to choose her accomplice. This person would get to be in the same area as the Pope of Fools, get some of the same rewards, and overall have an improved experience of the festival. But, this time, the person was not chosen by the ugliest person, picked by the crowd, but instead whatever child the Pope of Fools thought would be the least difficult to deal with. 

Max saw David whispering to the woman before pointing him out, clearly following through with what he said. 

Then, all the children were lined up and brought out to be chosen. Everyone was in single file when an outraged yell came from the crowd. 

“That’s the kid! Daniel’s pet!” someone shouted out, and with that, the uproar began. People began to yell and curse, fighting amongst themselves. He could see David trying to calm the crowd down, panic etched on his features when WHAM! A stone the size of a fist hit Max square in the leg. It was as if that was their calling card, because not a second later, he was being pelted by sharp stones. The other children had long gotten off the platform, leaving him to he bombarded by projectiles. And then, it stopped. 

Max looked up to see David crouched over him, shielding him from the attack. David let out a loud yell of rage and defiance, and the rocks stopped coming.

“What is wrong with all of you! This is a child! A CHILD!” David screamed, likely hurting his own vocal cords. Max had never seen someone so utterly enraged before. He was breathing heavily, yelling, and crying all at once. He was bleeding in several places where the rocks hit, but he either didn’t notice or he didn’t care.

“And YOU. These people say that this person is your pet? Well, damn, I sure as hell wouldn’t let anyone treat even a wild animal like this. Do you even care?” he yelled, the full force of his fury aimed directly at Daniel.  
“You mistreat all Parisians this way as well. This is why the Court of Miracles is here, so we aren’t all treated like THIS,” David roared, gesturing to Max. 

At the mention of the Court of Miracles, everyone started up again, whispering to each other. Daniel stood up and pointed his finger directly at David, his face completely emotionless.

“Get him,” he hissed. 

David chuckled softly. I met Daniel’s eyes. “I don’t think so.” And with that, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to make a joke about how Preston’s attire is very outdated in the show, considering it’s based on that of the 16th century, but because it takes place in 1482, he’s actually ahead of his time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David seeks refuge in the cathedral, only to have a close run in with a certain someone.

Max was breathing heavily, heart beating like he had just run a marathon; blood cascading down his battered form where the stones struck him. The crowd was still in awe, confusion present on every stunned face in the mass of people. Daniel rose from his seat in a flash of white robes, a scowl carving deep lines into his face. For a man who’s purpose was to rid others of negative emotions, he seemed to be consumed by many himself. His cold eyes rested on Max, his expression not wavering. 

“Get back inside,” he hissed through gritted teeth. It seemed as though he was forcing every single word out. 

Max stood hesitantly, unsure what the surrounding people would do if he tried to bolt. On shaky legs, he wobbled towards the great stone building; the magnificent arches of stone that served as his prison and his sanctuary. In the first time in his life, defiance was trying to surface. Boiling rage bubbled in his throat, threatening to spill out at any moment. He kept his jaw clamped shut, for he knew if it was to open, every vile words he was thinking would come forth like a waterfall. 

‘Fucking bastards, I swear on the life of every person in France, I will smite you all. Your asses better watch out, because if any of you try shit, I’m going to rip your heart out and throw it in the Seine,’ he thought angrily. His own threats were keeping him at bay for the moment, preventing him from lunging at these fuckers like a rabid animal. At first, these thoughts concerned him, for he had been raised on the idea that negativity is toxic, but it seemed the only way for his rage to end was to ride it out. For once, letting himself seethe felt nice, almost cathartic. It was then he realized, Daniel couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He couldn’t hear his thoughts or feel his emotions. A devious smirk crossed his face. He could do what he wished! ‘I hope you are fucking flayed alive, Daniel, you bastard,’ he thought, snickering as he closed the massive doors behind him. He felt overjoyed at the sensation in the same way a child feels when they know they’ve done something wrong. In fact, that’s exactly what Max would call this new thrill. 

Max steadily climbed the winding stone steps to the very top of the cathedral, now excited to play around with his new “dastardly” thoughts. 

Down below, a cloaked figure was sneaking through the very same doors the boy had opened moments before. The door let out a loud creak, cutting through the silence like a knife through butter. He pulled down the hood, revealing flaming red hair and a freckled face, sighing with relief. David moved to a corner, standing near one of the candle stands, relishing in the warmth it provided. 

“Dear me, what do we have here?” a voice taunted, accompanied by a similarly smug face. The pale cultist emerged from the darkness, slinking closer in the way a panther eyeing its prey would. Cold eyes locked onto defiant green ones. Maintaining eye contact, David slowly tried to reach for the hunting knife on the belt tied tightly around his waist. In a second, Daniel had his falchion pressed against David’s neck. David flinched, drawing back slightly. He let his hand fall to his side in defeat, his face contorted in a scowl, the only fear present was in his eyes. 

(If anyone has read the novel or seen the Disney version, Frollo is a creepy bastard. There is a scene coming up that has that, and while is won’t be graphic, it will be kind of creepy. I will put a note when the scene is over, summarizing it, just in case it triggers anything in a reader.)

Daniel snaked his arm around David’s waist, pulling him closer. His blue eyes were lidded with lust, his look predatory. David had tensed up, sweating slightly and looking at Daniel the way a rabbit would look at a hungry fox. Daniel leaned in closer, smelling the red-head’s hair and breathing on his neck. He nibbled slightly on the other man’s ear lobe, causing David to jolt backwards. 

(The scene is now over. Basically, Daniel was getting touchy and did the creepy ass hair smelling thing from the Disney version. Still not sure how that was allowed in a kid’s film, but then again, Hunchback is not a story for children.)

In a panic, David kicked the side of Daniel’s knee, causing him to hiss in pain and stumble. 

“Get. The. Fuck. Away. From. Me.” David growled, almost bareing his teeth. Daniel chuckled, eyeing him up and down. 

“You corrupt, foul creature. You do nothing but taint our children, you mess with their minds with ideas like “hope” and “individuality”. But, I can save you. Come with me, and you can be spared from the flames of this world and the next,” Daniel whispered, the low light of the candle making him look absolutely demonic. 

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing the soaking wet outline of a woman. She entered the room, thankfully breaking the building tension. Her blue eyes, blond hair, and white clothing was a stark contrast from her skin tone, but in a way few could pull off. The contrast drew attention to her icy eyes, similar to Daniel’s in several ways. If he didn’t know any better, David thought they could be distantly related. 

“Daniel, what the FUCK was that bullshit?” she hissed, her hands on her hips. She gave off almost a motherly feel, but the kind of motherly feel that makes you know you’re fucked. The kind of feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when they whip out the middle name. The one that lets you know you are absolutely boned. 

“Do you know the kind of reaction that’s going cause? Why would you EVER let him outside? Much less to the damn Festival of Fools,” she scorned. David immediately felt awkward, as this was not a conversation he was supposed to be hearing. 

“I didn’t let the little brat out! He snuck out, there’s a difference,” Daniel retorted, brow furrowed. 

“It seems like you need more guards posted, or at least more competent ones,” David joked, trying to ease the tension. Both cultists whipped around, one glaring and the other seemingly amused. 

“Who’s this?” Jen cooed, shit-eating grin stretched across her face. Daniel glared, his face turning slightly red at the tone of her voice. “Well, whoever he is, he’s not going back out there, it’s pouring. Look, there’s some empty space in the belfry, that’ll probably work for the night,” Jen said, ignoring Daniel’s distraught expression. “Well, night, fuckers,” Jen said, taking a candle stick and walking away into the dark corridors, the flickering light becomeing smaller and smaller until it was out of sight. 

Daniel sighed, rubbing his temple. “Fine, whatever, it’s up those stairs,” he whispered. As he walked off, David swore he heard him mumble “I need a drink,” under his breath. 

David started up the winding staircase, the cold stone uncomfortable below his bare feet. After what felt like a million years, he reached the top. He looked around, surveying the surrounding area. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something. Curly black hair jutting out. David was awestruck, confusion overtaking any other feelings. The child must have heard his gasp, because he turned around, stuffed bear in hand. His expression, likewise, changed to one of confusion

“David?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m going to spend more time making the chapters longer, more detailed, and overall of higher quality. It might not show, but I’m trying to make it better. Since we don’t get much of Jen in the show, i kind of subconsciously decided to make her almost like a older sister figure to Daniel, constantly taunting and teasing him. I feel like Max would only start to act like his cannon self after the experience at the Festival of Fools, where he begins to realize that he doesn’t have to be controlled. It starts out small, but I’m wanting to get him acting like his true self by the end of the fic.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David learns a few things about one of Paris’ most notorious residents.

The boy gave David a quizzical look, head tilted to the side ever so slightly. “Why the hell are you here?” he huffed, taking on a more defensive position.

“Language,” David chuckled, kneeling down to meet the child’s eyes. He then looked around room, taking in the beautiful gothic architecture and array of massive bells, slightly awestruck. He whistled slightly, looking back down to make eye contact.

“This is quite the place you have, kiddo,” David said, gesturing to the spacious room. Max scoffed, rolling his bright eyes in annoyance.

“Sure, until your ass is stuck up here for 10 years,” he muttered, spite leaking into his voice. David’s gaze softened, looking back at the boy. You could forget he was a child from the way he spoke, but every time that happened, David just thought of the trembling, bleeding boy on that stage. The image of Max sobbing and placing his hands over his head was too much for the sympathetic man to bare. 

“You seem to have picked up an attitude since I last saw you,” David said, trying to change the subject. Max’s eyes snapped up to glare at him; the blue-green orbs barely visible due to just how deep his scowl was. 

“That’s because I realized I don’t have to take shit from any of you fuckers. Daniel always said-“ he started before cutting himself off. He looked down, a melancholy expression on his face. When children are sad, then tend to scream and cry, making it more of plea for attention, but that was far from the expression the boy wore. He wore the look of someone far beyond his years, one that gave off a more lost and beaten down vibe. 

David put his hand on the boy’s shoulder, attempting to ground Max and prevent him from loosing himself in a downward swiral. He met the child’s eyes and gave him a comfortingly smile. “You don’t have to worry about Daniel anymore,” David said calmly, attempting to soothe Max. 

Max met David’s gaze, a worried frown growing more prominent by the second. “But Daniel says... no, I don’t have to do shit! You’re unpure, you’re unpure, you’re unpure...” he whispered, panicking. His looked like he had run a marathon; breathing heavily and sweating profusely. Despite how many breaths he was taking, no air seemed to reach his lungs, and he was beginning to become lightheaded. He was starting to lose feeling in his limbs, almost feeling like he had left his body.

“Max? MAX!” David yelled, shaking the boy slightly. When Max snapped out of it, tears filled his eyes. He lunged forwards, clinging to David like a lifeline. 

“I-I don’t k-know what to do!” Max whimpered, suddenly feeling quite small. David was panicking now, frantically trying to find a way to calm the sobbing boy. Then, it hit him. He pulled out a hand-made guitar and began to strum slowly and softly, a sharp contrast from his earlier performance. Then, his lips parted and he began to sing softly.

“There’s a place I know that’s tucked away,

A place where you and I can stay,

Where we can go to laugh and play, 

And have adventures every day,

I know it might sound hard to believe, 

But guys and gals it’s true, 

The Court of Miracles is the place for me and you,”

When he finished, Max had stopped crying. He removed his tearstained face from David’s shirt, looking up at him curiously. “You’re part of the Court of Miracles?” Max asked.

“Yes,” David replied, starring off into space, lost in thought. “I’ve been part of it as long as I can remember.”

“But, Daniel said that the Court of Miracles is just a bunch of vagabonds and scoundrels, you don’t seem that bad, I mean, you’ve helped me twice in just a few hours,” Max mused. David huffed, rolling his eyes in an uncharacteristic way. 

“Take everything Daniel says with a grain of salt. Trust me, kiddo, never trust authority, especially a single person with that much power, that kind of control changes people,” David hissed. 

“Well, then what is the Court of Miracles like?” Max asked, intrigued. David’s death glare at the floor softened as he turned to face the 10 year old. 

“Well, it’s a group of people dedicated to one single purpose, the abolishment of the hierarchy. I’ve been a member since I was your age. My parents joined when I was young. Unfortunately, luck never was on our side. They got Dad, tried to interrogate him, but he was loyal, wouldn’t tell a soul. Course, that means he died; gruesomely, but it was for the safety of the rest of us. He was just that kind of person. Mom died of cholera later down the road, trust me, kiddo, it’s just about the worst thing you can be forced to witness.” David shuddered, his eyes seeming to lose some of their light for a moment. He perked up seconds later though, brushing it off as if it didn’t happen.

“I think that’s why I’m so determined to protect the orphans that are part of the Court of Miracles. There’s Nikki and Neil that I take care of. I’m kind of like their father, even if they refuse to ever call me that,” David continued, almost rambling. When he snapped out of it, he turned to Max, apologizing. “Sorry, kiddo, kinda... lost myself for a moment. 

They sat in silence for a moment before Max decided to end the awkwardness. “What are Nikki and Neil like?” Max asked, trying to continue the conversation. 

David smiled softly. “Neil is a genius, really mature for his age. Both his parents were members, but we lost them, too. When so many people are in a confined area, disease spreads faster than wildfire,” David replied, trying to make light of the dark topic. “Nikki is... well Nikki is almost like an animal. Rolls around in the mud, eats bugs, ect. Her mom is still part of the cult, prefers the easy life, and nobody has any idea where her dad is,” David continued.

Max gave him a horrified look. “Jesus, what did you do to that child?” Max asked, a disgusted look on his face. David let out a hearty laugh, one of the only genuine ones Max had ever heard. 

David turned to him, expression no longer joking. “Max, would you ever consider joining us? I don’t know how that.. thing has raised you, but you clearly aren’t in a healthy environment.”

Max blinked in shock, trying to process what he just heard. “Come... with you?” Max repeated, still not sure he was hearing David right. “David.. I CAN’T. This is my home, whether I like it or not. Daniel hasn’t hurt me before, and going with you would put you in harms way.”

David’s eyes narrowed. “He might not have hurt you, but he’s definitely hurt those close to you,” he growled. Max gave him a confused look, “David, I’m not close to anyone...”-“Ever wonder what happened to your parents?” David hissed. The color drained from Max’s face. “He caught them after they tried to escape Paris, THAT’S IT,” Max said, trying to convince himself.

“They deserved it, but still the thought of leaving you with him, just... it tears me apart,” he admitted. 

“W-what are you talking about?” Max whispered. 

“I was there for every second of it. I was supposed to escort them out safely, but once I heard the things they were saying... well, let’s just say if Daniel didn’t do it, I would have,” David growled. “MAX, SHE THREW YOU IN THE SNOW TO SAVE HER OWN HIDE, SHE DIDN’T DESERVE YOU AND SHE DIDN’T DESERVE TO LIVE!” 

Max stood in shock, watching as everything Daniel had told him his whole life was crushed. 

“S-she was a-awful M-Max, she d-deserved it. Once I r-realized we were f-found out, I hid and let D-Daniel finish the job,” David sobbed, a mix of grief and fury. “I-I’m s-sorry M-Max, it’s my f-fault you’re stuck h-here.” 

Max’s eyes narrowed. “You’re right, she did deserve it,” Max sneered. David looked up in shock, starring at the boy. 

“Trust me, I’d leave if I could, but I’d lead them right to you. Quickly, leave before Daniel wakes up,” Max said, grabbing David’s cloak and shoving it in his hands; pushing him towards the door. “Go, or he’ll find you,” Max pleaded. 

David stopped for a second before reaching to pull out an item from his belt. It was a pendant with a strange design on it. “If you ever need me, just remember, when you wear this woven band, you hold the city in their hand.” He placed the charm in the child’s palm.

David turned to leave when a small voice stopped him.

“Bye, Dad.”

Those two simple words nearly brought David to tears. He turned, attempting to keep composure. 

“Bye, kiddo.”

And with that, he disappeared into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some nice ANGSTY backstory. I wanted to make Max conflicted, torn between obeying Daniel and living his own life. Also, David does feel as though it is partially his fault.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heaven’s Light

Max sighed; bringing his knees close to his chest. He tilted his head upward, taking in the light of the moon. A soft smile flitted across his face. For once, there was a person who cared. It wasn’t faked, nor was it manipulative in nature. There was a stark contrast between the way David and Daniel acted. 

Daniel was cold and manipulative, only using people for personal gain. Even Max, a child, could see this. It made Max sick at his stomach to think that he had obeyed him for a whole ten years. Max growled softly, digging his nails into the wooden planks beneath him. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, threatening to fall. He wiped them away; he’d rather die than let the world knew it got to him. 

David was different. He truly cared, and not in a patronizing way. He was easy to talk to, understanding, and almost felt like the parent he never had. He made the cold expanse of the belfry seem a bit smaller; less lonely. 

Maybe Max had a chance at family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven’t uploaded recently because I have influenza and feel like shit. This chapter and the next are a bit short, but then again, the scene in which it is based off only lasts a few minutes at most (Heaven’s Light is like 1 minute and 30 seconds).


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hellfire

In another part of the cathedral, a man stirred. Daniel was in his chamber, deep bags underneath his eyes and hair askew. His stood in front of a grand fireplace, eyes starring into the flames. He ran a hand through his messy hair, not averting his eyes. 

“Xemuug, what have I become?” Daniel asked, his raspy voice interrupting the prolonged silence. 

“Have you come to test me? You know of my loyalty, yet you still torture me so. I beg you, set me free, or my years of worship shall be for naught,” he pleaded. Unfortunately, his plea went unanswered; simply echoing in the silence. He bowed his head, starring at the palms of his hands. He caught sight of a flash of yellow, and pulled a worn bandanna from his sleeve. 

How could a simple street performer ensnare his senses? Control his mind? Enrapture his very soul? He had devoted his very being to the cult, yet in a single day, a stranger had become the most important thing on him mind. He ran his finger along the cloth, relishing in the feeling. His brain was traveling to dark places, thinking things that a man of his caliber should never even consider. This man was stripping him of his purity.

It was at this moment, Daniel knew there were only two options. Daniel rubbed the yellow fabric across the side of his face. David could either give up his very soul to Daniel; think about him and nothing but him, obey his every order, and do whatever Daniel wanted him to on a whim, or.... he raised the cloth his above his head before throwing it headlong into the flames, watching as burned to nothing but ashes. He would be set ablaze, burned at the stake. He would feel the torture he had put Daniel through, and Daniel would watch as he turned to nothing but cinders. 

A knock at his bedroom door jolted him out of his thoughts. Sighing in annoyance, he said, “come in.” Jen entered the room, a look of concern on her face. 

“He’s gone,” she whispered. 

Daniel turned to her with eyes like flame. “Get the guards, civilians, go out yourself if you have to! Just make sure he’s found, or you might be the one with a price on your head,” he growled. 

Jen paled. “Yes sir,” she replied, afraid to make a sarcastic comment, before exiting the room once more. 

Daniel turned back to glaring at the fire. 

“I swear by all the demons in hell, I will have him, or he shall burn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daniel makes me physically uncomfortable to write when he’s based off of Frollo. I hate posting really short chapters, but there’s only so much you can do with a song.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s going down hill

Max stared out at the once beautiful city, now filled with burning buildings and ash. The clouds of smoke nearly blocked out the sun, creating a simulated eternal night. The pleas of the Parisians rang through the air. It was truly hell on earth. Max hadn’t seen David for several days, and each passing minute deepened the cavity in his chest. All this was in pursuit for the man, yet despite all the carnage, David had managed to evade capture. It was quite impressive considering Daniel’s ruthless nature. Speak of the devil....

The soft patter of shoes against stone snapped him out of his thoughts, drawing his attention to the hallway. Daniel stood there, clad in his white robes and still bearing the sneer that Max had grown to loathe. Max’s scowl deepened as he looked at his captor.

“Maxwell, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you, but fear not, I’ll always have time to spare for you,” Daniel cooed, using that same oily voice. 

Max snarled, lip drawn back in a snarl. “Clearly not long enough,” he scoffed, distaste showing. Daniel’s expression changed, but for only a second. It flickered to a glare before changing back to his usual smile, though it was noticeably more strained. 

In a second, he had Max’s wrist in his tight grasp. His bitten nails dug deep into Max’s flesh, causing a thine line of blood to trickle out and for Max to flinch, fear flashing in his eyes as he starred back at the much older, stronger, and bigger man. “Now, who taught you to speak like that?” Daniel hissed out slowly, putting emphasis on each word and punctuating his sentence with a sharp crack emanating from his neck. 

Max shuddered, a chill traveling up his spine, but he stood his ground. He glared back, trying to look confident, but still cowering under Daniel’s powerful glare and manic smile. “Hey, at least it’s more than you ever taught me!” Max hissed, trying to keep up his facade. 

Daniel growled, his face contorting. “You ungrateful bastard!” he hissed, “I’ve worked my ass off to keep you alive, and this is how repay me?!” Daniel threw Max to the ground, towering over him. He took a deep breath, collecting himself. “Well, at least we won’t have to worry about these kinds of things ever again.”

Max’s heart froze; his blood running cold. “W-what do you mean?” He croaked. 

“Why, the street performer of course! It’s quite obvious that he’s what corrupted you, it happens to the best of us. This is why we keep members away from children; they’ corrupt their purity that we work so hard to craft. But, worry not, I believe we’ve found the hideout of the Court of Miracles, and we’re planning to take them out at the source.”

Max gasped, trying to keep the tears pricking the corners of his eyes from falling. Daniel smiled, tilting his head slightly. “Don’t worry, once we cut off the source of the problem, everything will go back to the way it was before. Just you see,” Daniel said. He slowly walked out of the room, but not before stopping to add a final thought.

“Don’t worry, you’ll soon see things my way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t proof read because I’m lazy despite the fact that I always change something. Sorry this is just dialogue, action starts in the next chapter.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escape or something I guess

After Daniel left, Max was confronted with a decision: stay safe in the cathedral or risk his life for something more. It was a simple decision really; he’d rather die than spend another second here. So, he gathered his few possessions and placed them into a make-shift bag before slinging it over his shoulder. He breathed in, looking around at the place he grew up in for possibly the last time, filled with feelings of both sorrow and hope. 

He reached over to the table, retrieving the pendulum that David had given him. For the first time, he studied the intricate design, attempting to decode what it could possibly mean. He stepped out into the moonlight, trying to get a better look at it. Max held the piece up to the sky when it hit him. The design showed a crude map of the city with a “X” on it. Putting two and two together, Max rushed to the door, filled with a sense of purpose. 

The echoing of his feet hitting the stone steps caused him to slow his pace, fearful of Daniel catching drift of his plan. When he reached the door, the loud creak it emitted made him cringe, but still he ventured forward, knowing that once he exited the cathedral, the veil protecting him would be broken, and he would be in grave danger. With a burst of courage, he started into the night. 

The streets of Paris were a steep contrast to the colorful crowded streets a mere weeks before, and it was unsettling to say the least. The buildings towered above him, making him feel like prey to a hawk. 

Max reached the area shown by the map, but it confused him. It seemed like any other street in the city, nothing unusual about it. 

Suddenly, he felt something sharp and cold put pressure on his neck. A gruff older man hissed in his ear, “we don’t like trespassers in these parts.” The man pushed him forward, making sure he had no way to get away. He lead him along for a few minutes before the winding streets opened up to a clearing full of people. The people were wearing clothes of many colors and were talking cheerfully amongst themselves. As they entered, the people fell silent, confusion etched across their features. 

“MAX!” a familiar voice rang out, breaking the silence. David rushed toward him, picking him up and embracing him. “I’m so glad you finally came, I could have sworn Daniel did... I don’t know, something, but the others wouldn’t let me go fetch you.”

Max wriggled, uncomfortable with all the attention they were attracting. “Uh, David, can we do this somewhere else?” Max asked, voice muffled from the hug. 

David stood up and looked at the older man that brought Max in. He put on a slightly pitiful face. “Quartermaster, do let him stay, he’s just a kid, he can’t hurt anyone,” David pleaded. The man sighed before nodding slightly. David beamed; grabbing Max’s hand and dragging him to a tent. Inside were three people. There was a darker skinned woman with violet eyes, a young boy with brown hair, and a young girl with green hair. 

The girl jumped up, smiling widely. “Are you Max? David’s been telling us all about you!” The girl, presumably the individual named “Nikki” that David had been talking about. 

“Max, these people are Nikki and Neil, the kids I was talking about, and Gwen, my best friend,” David introduced, trying to contain his excitement. Neil awkwardly shook Max’s hand while Gwen simply nodded. 

“You’ve become somewhat of a legend around here, kid,” Gwen said. Max quirked an eyebrow, unsure of what she meant. “Your parents have become pretty famous, considering the fact that they abandoned the group and tried to slaughter their own child,” Gwen continued. No one is sure how you survived, and there’s plenty of controversy that’s come up about it.”

Max sighed, the weight on his back seeming to gain a few pounds. “Daniel says that Jen was told by Xemuug that I was important, or something. It doesn’t make much sense-“

Gwen began to laugh uncontrollably, startling the little group. “WOW, I’VE NEVER HEARD SUCH UTTER STUPIDITY IN MY LIFE, I SWEAR THE LOT OF THOSE “SEERERS” ARE SCHIZOPHRENIC!” she barked out. As she realized everyone was giving her an odd look, and she immediately paled and backtracked. “Shit, it’s 1482, so, uh, I mean, she was a witch, or something. That, or maybe she still had a moral compass at 14 and didn’t want to see a baby die,” Gwen finished, face bright red. 

The others laughed awkwardly before changing the topic, and they spent the next few hours laughing and joking and pretending like they had not a care in the world. It was new to Max, and he wished he could live that way forever. Of course, that wouldn’t last.

A man burst into the tent, panting uncontrollably. 

“They’ve found us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t proofread because I’m lazy so hopefully it’s coherent


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viva la Revolution

The group exited the tent cautiously, hearts beating as though they had run a race. Gwen put herself in front of the children, determined to protect them if it killed her. 

From the throng of soldiers, a white-clad figured emerged, cold eyes seeing through them and a smile that showed far too much of his sharp white teeth. His expression was smug, and it made Gwen want to smack it off. One thing she noticed immediately was the hungry, predatory look he was giving David, and she wished she was big and strong enough to protect him and the children from this monster. 

“What do we have here? Two brats, a traitor, a whore, and.... whoever the woman is,” Daniel taunted. David visibly flinched at his words. Daniel’s eyes filled with lust as he grabbed David’s chin. David squirmed, but couldn’t do much to escape while being surrounded my armed soldiers on all sides. “Don’t worry, my pet,” Daniel cooed, trailing a finger down David’s cheek. David looked ready to burst into tears, and it broke Gwen to see him whimpering.

Gwen curled her upper lip in rage. “I swear to fucking god, let him go before I slice open your abdomen with a butter knife and then proceed to remove each of your organs while you’re still alive!” Gwen growled, trying to sprint toward him.

In seconds, the wind was knocked out of her and she was hit in the gut, beaten into submission, and restrained by the soldiers. She glared at Daniel even with a cut on her forehead causing blood to seep into her eye. She panted, out of breath and unable to fight back. 

Daniel chuckled. “This’ll be simply thrilling. Guards, bring the child back to the cathedral and bring the man to the square. We’re going to build a campfire around dawn. As for the rest of this lot, keep a few soldiers to guard the exit; we’ll deal with them later.”

Gwen, along with the rest of the Court of Miracles were placed in the gathering area while the soldiers crowded around the only exit, trapping them. 

The group of gathered, shivering with fear of the coming morning. Gwen, seeing no other option, climbed atop a pile of crates, looking over the feeble looking crowd. She cleared her voice, catching their attention.

“Are you satisfied to just stay here?” Gwen started. “For years we have fought back, risking our lives for this cause. Now, one of our own is gone, and we shall be wiped out come morning. It is now I ask, are you truly satisfied to die like this? We have one final shot at life, and I have come to rally you in order to save us all. Here me, people of Paris. How much oppression will you allow? Some day, your patience will finally break; why not make some day come right now?!” She bellowed out. Those gathered let out a battle cry, a sound that morphed into the cry of a single entity. 

The assembled grabbed anything that could be used as a weapon: cooking knives, broken bottles, sticks, anything they could find. Gwen lead the rag tag army, armed with a scythe.

As they reached the gates, they sprung into action, massacring the guards. Gwen sprung into action, slicing off their legs in one fell swoop before plunging it into their chests. Once the soldiers were dead, Gwen stood up, drenched in blood and sweat, panting heavily. 

‘Don’t worry, David, we’re coming.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that some people get a few of the references. Also, sorry for how bad the last chapter was. Shit’s going to hit the fan in the next chapter. Also, just writing Daniel makes me uncomfortable. Also, I’ve spent the last couple weeks fanboying over Salad Fingers on Tumblr.

**Author's Note:**

> I have an addiction to Hunchback. I have the 1996, 1939, and 1997 movies, own and have read the original novel, have seen and adore the musical, and much more. Once I saw people doing sketches of Hellfire with David and Daniel, but not a full-blown AU, I decided to do it myself.


End file.
